<p>MSJMOM, that is wonderful news! You are the champ of the thread, I’m sure. Your good news is inspiring. I think that we should have a running summary of total weight lost in this thread.</p>
<p>The recipe sounds wonderful. I am always looking for vegetarian recipes for S2. He would love that one, as would I.</p>
<p>Oh, God. H makes me watch Cramer every morning and at night when we exercise in our home gym. I get really mad (no kidding, that’s why it is called “Mad money!”) and run really fast :)</p>
<p>zoeydoggie: I have this bra with a goofy name, and it is AMAZINGLY comfortable and easy to take off even after sweating buckets. For modesty, you can wear a tech tank top over it:</p>
<p>[ta</a> ta tamer ii | women’s bras | lululemon athletica](<a href=“http://shop.lululemon.com/products/clothes-accessories/women-sports-bras/Ta-Ta-Tamer-II-31110?cc=9081&skuId=3416967&catId=women-sports-bras]ta”>http://shop.lululemon.com/products/clothes-accessories/women-sports-bras/Ta-Ta-Tamer-II-31110?cc=9081&skuId=3416967&catId=women-sports-bras)</p>
<p>It runs small. A D cup is more like a smallish C cup. I just spotted this top:
[priiti</a> tank | lululemon athletica](<a href=“http://shop.lululemon.com/products/clothes-accessories/women-tanks/Priiti-Tank-80085]priiti”>http://shop.lululemon.com/products/clothes-accessories/women-tanks/Priiti-Tank-80085)</p>
<p>It looks like something that would be really easy to take off, because the bottom part does is kind of loose and is not clinging to the body.</p>
<p>TaTa Tamer? That is a goofy name!</p>
<p>I do like that one BB. It fits really well & I have a hard time finding one that really fits and doesn’t have underwire up to my chin.</p>
<p>Walking daily is great because it also adds some vitamin D, which I think is in the news a lot these days.</p>
<p>I wear a tight fitting non-racer back sports bra by Hind. It’s shape is sort of like a really short tank top (no cups,no wires).
When I’m all sweaty from walking and it’s stuck to me like glue, I cross my arms in the front and grab the fabric under each armpit and sort of just roll it off over my head. Of course my “girls” would be preschoolers in the boob kingdom though. Dieting caused some major shrinkage. Might be harder to roll it over big girls:)</p>
<p>I do my Wii fit in the morning before I get dressed, which means I exercise in my light little cotton nightie - very cool and comfortable! Definitely need to start working on that excess flesh and bulges which are so obvious without clothes.</p>
<p>Friday report - don’t know what I did right this week but dropped over 2 pounds since last Friday and have now lost my 3rd 5 lbs since I started in mid-June (total 15.4). Also tried on my temperature dress (the one I last wore in 1999) and it actually sort of zips up - when I started, I couldn’t even get it down over my hips. Now I’m not saying I could actually wear it in public - way too tight and worried it would rip - but I’m seeing it in my future.</p>
<p>When I joined this thread, I was afraid I wouldn’t be successful without totally changing what I eat but that turned out not to be the case. Never thought I’d be satisfied with so much less food. I’ll never eat beans, fish, or most vegetables, and have not given up butter, cheese, croissants, etc. What I am doing is eating way less (and minimal amounts of the naughtiest foods), and exercising more. Who’d have thunk?!</p>
<p>^^^This makes me so happy. :)</p>
<p>EPTR what a fine thread you started. We went through that rough patch with the die-hard-ers, but looks like many are coming along just fine.</p>
<p>Friday report is that I am up a couple of pounds from last week. Had a good hike up the mountain in Vermont (it’s 5.4 miles round trip with about 1800 ft. change in elevation) and didn’t get too sore for once, but we had blueberry pie, pancakes, cookies, trail mix, and other vacation food. Then when we got back ds made an evil Jordanian dessert called dahdah. Nuts, sugar, and coconut are the major ingredients along with semolina flour.</p>
<p>Congrats to Marilyn and all the other losing posters. I am kind of bummed because I really haven’t lost any weight since the thread started, but I love following it and it give me encouragement. My weight is at least holding steady and we have had vacation food and fair food several weeks of the summer. I also haven’t exercised like I want–yet.</p>
<p>The best thing about this thread for me is it taught me to eat more protein instead of carbs. I may not weigh a lot less, but I am a lot less starving! I’ve also really tried to watch the carbs more and this has really helped with bloating and feeling better. Unfortunately I was never a huge bread/pasta fan, so this hasn’t cut out as many calories as I would like.</p>
<p>Thanks to everyone for their insightful and encouraging posts. We need to keep it up to get through Thanksgiving and Christmas.</p>
<p>Congrats, everyone! I managed to keep my weight where it is supposed to be (125 lb)despite the summer birthday celebrations, eating out, two trips to Napa/Sonoma, a wine tour of the Eastern WA, and many stressful situations at work. Yay!! I’ve been a 125-lb person for more than a year now.</p>
<p>"We need to keep it up to get through Thanksgiving and Christmas. "</p>
<p>Oh, yes, you will be hearing from me, ladies and gentlemen, if this thread ends up on page 3. 
</p>
<p>BB, I’ve lost 45 lbs. since Jan. I’m where I want to be now. I’m 5’7" and weighed 124 today and would like to stay within a few pounds of that. Don’t need to lose any more but am afraid to slack off on the diet and exercise for fear of gaining back. Any tips on how you’ve maintained the same weight for a year?</p>
<p>Awesome, PackMom. Has your weight loss tapered off? If it has, then you have reached the optimal “calories in - calories out” balance. You probably gradually decreased your food consumption and are eating smaller portions and healthier foods than you used to last year. If so, just keep doing what you’ve been doing, and your weight should be where it is now. I weigh mysel daily just after getting out of bed as a reminder to myself to go easy on junk. :)</p>
<p>I have lost 12 pounds in six weeks. The secret? 1) VERY high carbs, virtually no protein, no meat or fish, no sweets, no snacks, no sugar in coffee or tea; 2) NO exercise! It’s way too hot! 3) Live in a steambath 24 hours a day. 92 degrees daytime; 78 degrees night, no variance. Humidity a constant 91-96%. After the first week of living in sweat, you get used to it. </p>
<p>What do I miss? SUSHI!</p>
<p>BB, thanks. No, my weight loss hasn’t stopped. It has slowed but not stopped. This a.m. the scales said 123.4. I know there are daily/weekly fluctuations but I have lost weight steadily rarely going back up more than one pound for over six months now. 125 was my goal. </p>
<p>I’ve religiously stuck to a pretty hardcore diet of lean meats,fruits,nuts,veggies,hummus,lowfat dairy (yogurt, cottage cheese,skim milk). I eat Kashi cereal/skim milk for breakfast because cereal is my guilty pleasure and at least Khashi has good protein, fiber and whole grains. No " white foods", or anything that starts with “bleached or unbleached white flour”, no chips,popcorn,cookies,etc. and very little cheese or bread.<br>
This summer I’ve walked (very briskly,almost running) 3-4 miles 5 days/week with some other exercising thrown in (push-ups,yoga stuff,biking,etc). </p>
<p>So, if I continue to keep losing, should I cut back on the exercise (maybe shortening my walks or doing them fewer times per week) or add more calories back to my diet? Have not been couting calories,just tried to eat what I thought was good for me. I’ve recently had several people tell me “you don’t need to lose any more weight” which is making me feel kinda weird. I’ve always been naturally athletic ( pear shaped body type so all weight is below the waist) but never seriously stuck to anything before so I’m kind of in the dark here. Thanks for any advice.</p>
<p>PackMom, I love your regime!</p>
<p>As far as adjusting, which appeals to you more - cutting back on exercise or adding in a few more calories??? Exercise of course, is always good.</p>
<p>I want to encourage people to keep listing the little ways you make a food item or meal more healthy. Those tips really help me and give me new ideas!</p>
<p>Here’s one from me:
Today the fam wanted waffles for breakfast - most times now, the idea of a big carb-filled waffle does nothing for me. I made the waffles for them and then for mine here’s what I did. I used the waffle batter, but upon pouring in the waffle maker also added a good amount of chopped almonds and a little dried fruit. Makes the waffle much more hearty and has less “batter” involved. Then, when it was done, I only took half of the waffle to start - 2 sections (it’s kind of divided in four sections). I put a little butter, one sliced fresh ripened peach and just a little pure maple syrup on top. Cut it in small bites, eat it slowly and I was full and stopped at just eating the 2 sections! So only a 1/2 waffle, but filled with other good things (almonds and fruit) and just a little “bad” - the small amount of butter and syrup - but felt like I had a breakfast for a queen. :)</p>
<p>Packmom,
That is fantastic! I might print that last post of yours and put it on my fridge for motivation! Do you ever give in and have sweets or a roll? I’m just curious as to how strict you are to get those results.</p>
<p>As far as maintaining your weight without continuing to lose, I would think that it would be healthier to add more healthy calories to your diet rather than cut back on the exercise. But I’m not a doctor or and expert. Maybe others can weigh in. Get it…weigh in!!! :)</p>
<p>Don’t cut back on exercise. Some one said, “If exercise were a drug, it would be the most widely prescribed medication in the world.” Exercise keeps your heart in shape, your balance steady, helps your bones and muscles, and will make it easy for you to get out of a chair (or off the toilet) by yourself when you’re 90. Eating more will give you more nutrients, fiber, and other good things. Why would you want to stop exercising??</p>
<p>Edited to add: It’s not about being the right weight. It’s about being in the best shape. Without serious exercise, you’re not in good shape.</p>
<p>abasket, you’re waffles sound yummy. I like reading everyone’e healthy recipes too.
I’m not a great cook so eat a lot of salads. Luckily, I like salads but do need to expand my culinary horizons 
Here’s one I do…for a snack or dessert I swirl a little yogurt ( fat free regular or frozen) into non-fat cottage cheese. The cottage cheese is low in sugar/carbs and a couple of spoonfuls of yogurt give it a big flavor boost.</p>
<p>eptr, Thanks. When I started out I never thought I’d stick with it as long as I have but when the weight started coming off, it just made me want to keep going. When I need something that tastes sweet, I chew sugar free gum. I have some in my purse at all times! Haven’t eaten “real” sweets or rolls in months. I eat yogurt and fruit every day and keep frozen yogurt in my freezer. I’m sure I won’t live the rest of my life without a cookie though,lol. I will say it doesn’t appeal to me as much as it used to though. </p>
<p>VeryHappy, you are right. I would not stop exercising. Just thinking of altering my routine a little. It’s a habit now and I feel guilty if I don’t do some form of exercise regularly.</p>
<p>Bringing the thread up to the first page …</p>
<p>Nothing good to report, unfortunately. I’m exhausted and depressed dealing with a home renovation problem that hit at the beginning of vacation, then some storm damage at the end. I’ve been trying not to feel sorry for myself, because we did not have flooding or water in the house, and much of the damage we have is insured, but I have been so tired that I can barely function. Yesterday I finally got myself to the gym for 30 mins on the treadmill at a good pace, and 30 mins of weight machines, mainly to reduce the stress I feel. Then, last night, I banged my little toe into the bed leg and it hurt like he**. Huge tender and bruised area this morning on the foot below the toe, very painful and hard to walk. I spent a couple of hours at the walk-in clinic and had x-rays. It looks like it is not broken, thank goodness. But it will be a while before I can get to the gym again.</p>